Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM Modi's reply to the motion of thanks on the President's Address in the Lok Sabha
Honourable Speaker sir, I stand here to express my gratitude in Motion of Thanks on the address of the President. The Honourable President has presented the vision of New India in his address. This statement of the Honourable President of the third decade of the 21st century is an address that gives direction to all of us for this decade, inspiring and creating confidence among crores of citizens of the country.
In this discussion, all the experienced honourable members of the House have presented their views in a very effective way, and have put their individual views. Everyone has tried to enrich the discussion in their own way. Shriman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Ji, Dr Shashi Tharoor Ji, Shriman Owaisi Ji, Rampratap Yadav Ji, Preeti Chaudhary Ji, Mishra Ji, Akhilesh Yadav Ji, there are many names, if I name everyone, it will take lot of time. But I would say that each one has presented their views in their own way. But a question has arisen as to what the government is so in a hurry about all these works. Why are all things being done together?
I would like to highlight a poem by Shriman Sarveshwar Dayalji in the beginning and that is probably our culture as well as the nature of our government. And because of the same inspiration, we are trying to move away from the beaten path and move forward at a fast pace. Anyway, Sarveshwar Dayalji has written in his poem that .....
लीक पर वे चलें जिनके
चरण दुर्बल और हारे हैं,
हमें तो जो हमारी यात्रा से बने
ऐसे अनिर्मित पन्थ ही प्यारे हैं।
Leek par ve chalen jinake
Charan durbal aur haarehain,
hamen to jo hamaaree yaatra se bane
aise anirmit panth hee pyaare hain
Honourable Speaker, now that the people have only changed a government is not the case, their interests are also expected to change. Due to the desire to work with a new vision, we have got the opportunity to come here and serve. But if we walked in the same way, then the way you used to walk, the way you got used to, then perhaps even after 70 years Article 370 would not have been scrapped in this country. If you go the same way, then the sword of Teen Talaq would be still scaring the Muslim sisters. If we went your way, then there would not have been provision of death sentence in case of rape of a minor. If we pursued your thinking, then Ram Janma bhoomi would remain in dispute even today. If there was your approach, the Kartarpur Corridor would never have been built.
If there were only your approach, your ways, India would never have resolved the Bangladesh border dispute.
Honourable Speaker,
When I see and listen to the Honourable Speaker, first of all I congratulate Kiran Rijijuji, because the Fit India Movement that he has run, promotes the Fit India Movement in a very adroit way. He delivers speeches and along with speeches he does workout in the gym. Because this strengthens the Fit India, I thank the honourable members for promoting it.
Honourable Speaker, no one can deny that the country has been trying every moment to take on challenges. Sometimes the country has also seen the habit of not looking at the challenges. We have seen such people also, who don't have the ability to choose the challenges. But what the world expects from India today… If we do not challenge the challenges, if we do not show courage and if we do not increase the pace of taking everyone along, then perhaps the country would have to fight the numerous problems for a long time.
And after this, Honourable Speaker, if we were to go the ways of the Congress, then even after fifty years, the country would have to wait for law on enemy properties. Even after 35 years, the country would have to wait for the next generation fighter aircraft. Even after 28 years, the benami property law would not have come into force. Even after 20 years, the Chief of Defence Staff would not be appointed.
Honourable Speaker, because of the fast pace our government has and our motive is to move away from the rut by following a new path. And that's why we understand well that after 70 years of independence, the country is not ready to wait long and should not be waiting. And so it is our effort that the speed also grows bigger, the scale also. There should be determination and also decision. There should be sensitivity as well as solution. The fast pace we have worked. And the result of the work at that fast pace is that the people of the country have seen in five years and after watching it gave us a chance to stand again with more strength to continue moving at the same speed.
Had this not been a fast pace, bank accounts of 37 crore people would not have opened in such a short time. Had the pace not been faster, the toilet work would not have been completed in the homes of 11 crore people. If the pace is not fast, the gas stoves will not light up in the 13 crore families. Had the pace not been fast, 2 crore new houses would not have been built for the poor. If the pace had not been fast, Delhi had been stuck for a long time, more than 1700 illegal colonies, the lives of more than 4 million people, which were hanging in the balance. That work is not complete. Today they have also got the right to their home.
Honourable Chairman, North East has also been discussed here. North East has to wait for so many decades to have the ability to change the political equations. This situation is not there and that is why the region has always been sidelined when decisions are made from political scales. For us, the North East is not an area to be weighed by vote scales. For the citizens of India, sitting in a far-flung region with the unity and integrity of India, and their potential to be appropriately used for the development of India, with the reverence of the powers that worked in advancing the country. It has been our endeavour to move forward with great faith on each citizen living there. And because of this, in the last five years in the North East, Delhi which used to seem very far away, today Delhi stands at their door. The minister continued to visit the office continuously. Stayed there overnight in small towns in Tier-2, Tier-3 and interacted with the people and won their trust. And we have tried to fulfil the development needs of the 21st century, whether it is about electricity, whether it is about rail, whether it is about airport or whether it is mobile connectivity.
And what results that trust can give are seen in the tenure of this government. Discussion of a Bodos came up here. And it was said that this has happened for the first time. We have also never said that this has happened for the first time. We are saying this that there have been many experiments and still experiments are being done. But .........whatever happened has been done, has been done by weighing from political scales. Whatever was done was done half-heartedly. Whatever was done, it merely formality. And because of that, the agreements were only on paper; the photo was published, and won applause. With great pride that also being talked about today.
But the agreement on paper did not solve the problems of Bodo agreement even after so many years. More than 4 thousand innocent people have been killed. Many types of diseases that continue to endanger the social life, continue to happen. The agreement that has been reached this time is also a message for the North East and also for those who bring justice to the common man in the country. It is also there that we do not try at all so that our deeds are repeatedly publicized, spread around, but we will work hard and try.
But this time the agreement has a peculiarity. All the armed groups have come together, all the weapons and all the underground people have surrendered. And the second one says in the agreement of the peace deal that after this there is no demand related to the Bodo problem. In the North East we are the first sun to rise. But morning did not come. The sun used to come. Darkness did not dispel. Today I can say that today a new dawn has also arrived, a new dawn has also arrived, a new light has also arrived. And that light will be visible when you change your glasses.
I am thankful to you so much that you are giving me a break in the middle of speaking.
Yesterday, guns were fired from the shoulders of Swami Vivekananda. But I recall a small old short story. Once there were some people travelling by a train. And it is everyone's experience that when we were traveling on the train, the sound comes from the track when the train picks speed. If there was a saint Mahatma sitting there, he said that look what sound is coming from the track, as if this inanimate track is also telling us that Prabhu kar de Beda Par … But the other saint said no, I hear that saying Prabhu teri Leela Aparmpar---  …. ..a cleric was also sitting there. He said that I can hear something else. The saints asked what he listened to. He said I am listening to Ya Allaha teri Rahmat…  A wrestler was sitting there he said he was listening - Kha Rabdi kar kasrat---- ...
Yesterday, it was said in the name of Vivekananda ji that what there in the mind reflects in the speech... You do not need to look so far to see it, it is very nearby..
Honourable Speaker, I have had a conversation about farmers. Many important works, and many new ways, have been done in the past with new thinking and the honourable President has also mentioned it in his address. But the way an attempt has been made to discuss here. I do not know whether it is ignorance or deliberate. Because some things are like this, even if there is knowledge, we probably would not have done it.
We know that one and a half times is a separate subject. How long it was stuck. It was not our time, but it was our responsibility to the farmers. We also completed that work. I am surprised Irrigation schemes were lying for 20-20 years. Nobody was going to ask. Got the photo out and it was done. We had to hand over 99 such schemes. Spending more than 1 lakh crores took them to the logical end and now farmers are starting to benefit from it.
This arrangement is under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme. There has been a continuous confidence among farmers. About 13 thousand crore rupees premium has come from the farmers. But under the loss due to natural disaster, about 56 thousand crore rupees farmers have received from the insurance scheme. Farmer's income has increased, these are our priorities. Priority is to reduce input cost. And earlier what used to happen in the name of MSP, the procurement of pulses and oilseeds were 7 lakh tonnes in the country. Now, In our tenure it is 100 lakh tons. e-NAM scheme is a digital world today. Our farmer is seeing the prices of the world from mobile phone, is understanding it. In the name of e-NAM scheme, farmers can sell goods in their market. And I am glad that about one crore 75 thousand farmers have joined this system till now. And business worth about 1 lakh crore has been done by farmers of their production with this e-NAM scheme. We have popularised the Kisan Credit Card, promoted allied activities like animal husbandry, fish farming, poultry farming. There should be an effort to move towards solar energy. Talk about solar pumps. Many such new things have been added. Due to which there has been a big change in his economic situation today.
Before our arrival in 2014, the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture was 27 thousand crores. Now it has increased by 5 times… from 27 thousand crores, we have reached 5 times and about one and a half lakh crores. PM Kisan Samman Yojana goes directly to the farmers' account. So far, about 45 thousand crore rupees have been transferred to the farmer's account. There is no middleman. No file conflicts. One click sends the money. But I will definitely urge many members here that we should also keep doing politics… I know but will we play with the interests of farmers to do politics. I will urge the honourable members to look into the matter in their state who are speaking loudly in the name of the farmers ... they should see to it as together farmer of their state are getting PM Kisan Samman Nidhi
For that, why are those governments not giving the list of farmers, why are they not joining the scheme? Who was harmed, who suffered loss, it was of the farmers of that state. I would like to know such honourable members here who may not be able to speak openly, a lot happens at some places. But they will know that in the same way, I will speak to the honourable members who have said so much. Just look at those states where the promises made to the farmers through tall talks, collected votes, wrested power but did not fulfil promises made to farmer, swearing and taking power, but the promises of the farmers were not fulfilled. At Least the honourable members sitting here will be representatives of those states as well, then they must tell those states that they should not hesitate in giving rights to the farmers.
Respected Speaker, when the all-party meeting was held, I had made a detailed request and expressed my viewpoint. After that before the start of the parliament session, when I was speaking to the media, I had even said then that we should devote all our discussions on the issues related to the country’s economic situation. We have brought before this House the combination of the perception, the ability and the talent because what are the steps and the direction that India should take to benefit from the national and international economic situation. I would like to request to all the members that as long as this session continues and even after the break when we meet again, we should speak comprehensively with new suggestions so that the country can march forward taking advantages of the opportunities available. I invite all of you.
Yes, I agree that it is the collective responsibility on the important economic issues. And we can’t forget the past because in order to know where we stand today, it is necessary to know where we were in the past. This is true but our respected members say why has this not happened, when it will happen, how it will happen and by when it will happen. Some people feel that you criticize, but I don’t agree that you criticize. I am happy that you have understood me. Because you have belief that if something has to happen then he will do it… and therefore, I don’t take these things as criticism.
I believe in guidance, inspiration and therefore I welcome all these suggestions and I try to accept it. Therefore, I especially welcome whatever suggestions have come forward. These are good points that why it has not happened, when it will happen, how it will happen. We all think about the country. But it becomes difficult to comprehend the present without the past. We all know about the past. Corruption used to dominate newspaper headlines and there used to be angry exchanges on corruption in the House as well. Same thing used to be said then. Who can forget about unprofessional banking? Who can forget about the weak infrastructure policy? We have made concerted efforts to come out of that situation by finding solutions to those problems with a definite direction and with long-term goals. I believe that it is the result of all those efforts that today we have contained fiscal deficit, reined in inflation and there is macroeconomic stability.
I am grateful to you that you have affirmed your faith in me. We will do it. But, yes, one thing we will not do and won’t let it happens and that is we will not end your unemployment.
An important decision was taken on GST. Our government is taking all those steps which are needed to provide long-term robustness to the economy, be it the reduction of the corporate tax, the introduction of the IBC, liberalization of the FDI regime or the recapitalization of the banks. We can see the gains accrue from those steps. Our government is implementing all those reforms, which used to be discussed in detail even by the specialists in your government and the economists but were never implemented. We have taken several important decisions to boost the confidence of investors and provide strength to the economy.
GST revenue has been recorded more than one lakh crore rupees six times from January 2019 to January 2020. If I talk about the FDI, then it was 22 billion dollars between April and September 2018. Today, in the same period the FDI has crossed 26 billion dollars. This is a proof that the confidence of foreign investors has increased towards the country and the economy. There are boundless opportunities in the economic sphere. This is the conviction of the foreign investors and therefore people are coming forward to invest here. This is a big achievement that people are coming out to invest here despite spread of rumours.
Our vision is greater investment, better infrastructure, increased value addition and maximum job creation.
I learn a lot from farmers. A farmer steps his feet on the field on a scorching summer only after it is cultivated. Till then he does not plant the seeds. He plants the seeds at the right time. And whatever has been happening for the last 10 minutes, I have been cultivating the field. Now that you are ready, I will plant seed one by one.
Respected Speaker, schemes like Mudra, Startup India, Standup India have helped immensely in self-employment. Not only that crores of people have started earning themselves by making use of Mudra scheme, but have also succeeded in providing employment to one, two or three persons. Not only this, 70 percent of the Mudra scheme beneficiaries who received money from banks are our mothers and sisters. All these people who were not economically active have been contributing their share for the growth of the economy. More than 28,000 Startups have been recognized and what gives me happiness is that these are in tier 2-3 cities. It means that the youth of the country is marching ahead with new determination. More than 22 crore loans have been accepted and crores of people have found employment.
India is placed third according to the World Bank data on entrepreneurs. Between September 2017 and November 2019, one crore 49 lakh new subscribers have joined the EPFO net payroll. They don’t deposit the money without any employment. Yesterday, I listened to the speech of a Congress leader. He has announced that people will hit Modi with sticks in six months. This is true that this is difficult and therefore it needs six months for this. Six months is fine. I have decided that in the next six months, I will increase my timings for “Surya Namaskar”. I have been listening to abuses for the last 20 years and I have made myself abuse-proof. I will strengthen my back so much through Surya Namaskar that it will be able to withstand the sticks. I am grateful that it has been announced well in advance. I will get enough time to increase my exercise routine in six months.
Respected Speaker, Industry 4.0 and Digital Economy have the prospects of creating crores of jobs. We have put forward a proposal in the House for skill development, to create a new skilled force and labour reforms. There are several other proposals. I am hopeful that this House will consider them as well so that there are no impediments to create employment opportunities in the country. We will have to come forward with a new thought process in the changed situation for such changes. I request all the respected members of the House to help forward the labour reforms so that there will be new opportunities to generate employment. I believe that with the ease of doing business and ease of living, we will be able to make the Indian economy worth 5 trillion dollars.
Respected Speaker, this is true that we have a mission of 16 crore infrastructure in the coming days. You must have noticed in our last tenure that infrastructure plays an important role in providing rigour to the economy. The emphasis on infrastructure activities helps drive the economy and also provides employment. It also offers opportunities to new industries. Therefore, we have decided to give a push to the infrastructure. Earlier infrastructure only related to concrete cement. Earlier infrastructure meant the tender process, the middlemen. People used to smell rat whenever there used to be any talk on infrastructure.
Today we have emphasized on creating infrastructure for the 21st century modern India. For us, infrastructure is not just about concrete cement. I believe that infrastructure brings with it a new future. Only infrastructure has the power to connect Kargill to Kanyakumari and Kutch to Kohima. Infrastructure helps consolidate aspiration or achievement.
If there is one thing which can give wings to the dreams of the people, it is the infrastructure. It is only through the infrastructure that people’s creativity can be connected with the consumers. Connecting a child with a school may appear to be small, but it is again the infrastructure which does it. Infrastructure connects a businessman with his consumer. It connects people also. Infrastructure also connects a pregnant mother with a hospital. Therefore, we have taken several initiatives from irrigation to industry, from social infrastructure to rural infrastructure, from roads to ports and from airways to waterways. The country has seen all of these in the last five years. Since the people have seen all these things, they have helped us reach at this position. This is the strength of infrastructure.
Respected Speaker, I would like to give you an example how things happen in the field of infrastructure. Take for example Delhi, how thousands of trucks used to pass through Delhi causing traffic and environment pollution. The UPA had taken a resolution to complete the expressway surrounding Delhi by 2009. When we came to power in 2014, we found that it was only on the paper. We initiated the project on a mission and today the work relating to peripheral expressway is completed. Today, more than 40,000 trucks don’t enter Delhi and pass through outside Delhi. This is also a great step to prevent Delhi from pollution. But what is the importance of infrastructure? It remained a piece of paper till 2014 to implement the dream by 2009. This is the difference. It will take some time to understand this.
Respected Speaker, I would like to clarify on some subjects. Sorry, Tharoorji, some people have talked here about saving the Constitution from time to time. I also believe in it that the Congress should talk 100 times a day to save the Constitution. It should be a mantra for the Congress to save Constitution and save Constitution 100 times. Had you understood what all happened with the Constitution, had you understood the importance of Constitution then all of it would not have happened with the Constitution. Therefore, you may realize your mistakes whenever you talk about the Constitution. It will also help you realize the power of the Constitution.
Respected Speaker, this is the apt time. Why did you not consider about saving the Constitution during Emergency? These are the very people who have been talking about the Constitution. Those who have snatched the rights of judiciary and judicial review will have to talk about the Constitution.
Those people who had talked about snatching the rights to live, they will not only have to repeat Constitution but read it as well. These people have no right to talk about the Constitution who have brought the maximum proposals to change the Constitution. State governments were toppled dozen times. Governments elected by people were dismissed.
The cabinet passed a resolution. The democratic and constitutional Cabinet had passed a resolution. It is very necessary for those people to learn how to save Constitution who torn the resolution passed by such cabinet during a press conference. Therefore, it is necessary that those people should chant the mantra of save the Constitution. It is very necessary for those to understand the importance of Constitution who ran the government through remote control by setting up National Advisory Council over and above the Prime Minister and Prime Minister's Office.
Respected Speaker, what is happening in Delhi and across the country in the name of saving the Constitution. The country is watching everything and understanding. The silence of the country will be known one day.
The Supreme Court is an important part of the Constitution. Supreme Court has been repeatedly saying that no protests should cause inconvenience to people, no movement should turn violent.
Those very people, who talk about saving the Constitution, these communist people, these Congressmen are instigating the people for their vote-bank politics.
Respected Speaker, one poet had said: “Khoob parda hai ki chilman se lage baithe hain. Khoob parda hai ki saaf chupte bhee nahin saamne aate bhee nahin”. People know everything.
Respected Speaker, it is regrettable the kind of language and the statements used by some of the leaders of the House. There are several people who are sitting here and have suffered in West Bengal. Dada, you will be pained if they narrate in detail what is happening there. They know very well how innocent people are being killed.
Respected Speaker, I would like to ask them what was the status of the Constitution during the period of the Congress, what was the condition of the rights of the people? If Constitution is so important, which all of us agree, if you agreed then who had prevented you from implementing the Indian constitution on Jammu and Kashmir? Who did the sin of preventing the rights given by the Constitution to my brothers and sisters of Jammu and Kashmir? And Shashiji, you have been the son-in-law of Jammu and Kashmir, you talk of Constitution, you should have thought about the daughters of Kashmir. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, one respected member has said that Jammu and Kashmir has lost its identity; someone said that for some Kashmir was just a piece of land.
Respected Speaker, those who see Kashmir as just only a piece of land, they know nothing about the country and it depicts their intellectual poverty. Kashmir is the crown jewel of India.
Respected Speaker, Kashmir’s identity was made a bomb and separatism. Those people who talk about the identity of Kashmir, they buried the identity of Kashmir on the dark night of January 19, 1990. Kashmir’s identity is Sufi tradition. Kashmir’s representatives Man Lalded, Nandrishi, Sayed Bulbul Shah, Meer Syed Ali Hamdani, they are the identities of Kashmir.
Respected Speaker, some people say that Kashmir will burn if Article 370 is removed. What kind of prophecy is this? I would like to tell these people, who say that Kashmir will burn after Article 370 is removed, some people are in jail. I would like to attempt to touch the soul of the respected members of this House which protects Constitution, the House which is committed to Constitution.
Respected Speaker, what did Mehbooba Mufti say on 5th August … Mehbooba Mufti had said, and I would like to request the people who are committed to the Constitution, please listen, she had said and this is very serious that India has deceived Kashmir. We have been deceived by a country with whom we agreed to live with. It appears as if we made a wrong choice in 1947. Can these people who uphold Constitution accept such language? You talk on their behalf. You support them. Similarly, Sri Omar Abdullah had said that the withdrawal of Article 370 will cause an earthquake and Kashmir will secede from India.
Respected Speaker, Farooq Abdullah had said that the withdrawal of Article 370 would lead to the independence of Kashmir’s people. Nobody will survive in Kashmir to unfurl the flag of India if Article 370 is removed. Can anybody with such a belief be supported by anybody who owes allegiance to the Constitution? Can anybody agree to it? I am talking about all those people who have a soul.
Honorable Speaker, these are people who do not trust Kashmiri people and therefore speak such language. We are the ones who have faith in the people of Kashmir. We placed our trust, we trusted the people of Kashmir and removed Article 370. And today we are also developing at a fast pace. And the situation in no part of this country can be allowed deteriorate whether it is Kashmir, be it North East, or be it Kerala, no one can be allowed. Our ministers are also continuously visiting Jammu-Kashmir in the last few days, having a dialogue with the people. We are trying to solve the problems there by talking to people.
Honorable Speaker, from the floor of this House, today I am committed to fulfill the hopes and expectations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, for the bright future of Jammu and Kashmir, for the development of Jammu and Kashmir. We are dedicated to the Constitution and are all committed. But at the same time I would also like to say something about Ladakh.
Honorable Speaker, Sikkim is one such state in our country which has established itself as an organic state. And in a way, small states like Sikkim have inspired many states of the country. The farmers of Sikkim, the citizens of Sikkim, are entitled to this acclamation. Ladakh- I believe that the picture of Ladakh is very clear in my mind. And that's why we want that Ladakh the way Bhutan is showered praise in our neighborhood for its environment, has established its identity in the world as a carbon neutral country. We the people this country make a resolve and we all should resolve that we will also develop Ladakh as a carbon neutral entity. Will create a hallmark for the country. And I am sure that it will benefit the future generations as a model. And when I go to Ladakh, stay with them; I am moving towards making a design of it.
Honourable Speaker, a law passed by the House here, which amendment was passed in both the Houses, which got notified, some efforts are being made regarding introduction of CAA. Some people are saying what was the hurry to bring CAA? Some honourable members said this government is discriminating, this government is doing Hindu and Muslim thing. Some said that we want to divide the country, much has been said and a lot has been spoken from here. Full force has been exerted to create an imaginary fear. And those people are talking those who take photographs by standing next to those who want to break the country. Pakistan has been speaking the same language for decades, Pakistan is speaking the same thing.
Pakistan has left no stone unturned to provoke the Muslims of India. To mislead the Muslims of India, Pakistan has played every game, shown every colour. Then, when I am surprised that those whom the people of Hindustan have sent home from the throne of power, they are doing the work that the people of the country cannot ever imagine. We are being reminded that the slogan of India and slogan of Jai hind was given by our Muslims only. The problem is that in the Congress and its eyes, these people were always and only Muslims. For us, in our view they are Indians, Hindustani. Be it Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
Honourable Speaker, It has been my good fortune that I had the opportunity to touch the feet of Khan Abduhal Ghaffar Khanji as a boy. I consider it my pride.
Honorable Speaker, be it Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Ashfaq-Ulla Khan Begum Hazrat Mahal, Veer Shaheed Abdumal Karim or former President Shriman APJ Abdul Kalam, all of us are Indians in our eyes.
Honourable Speaker, the day Congress and its parties start seeing India from the eyes of India, they will realize their mistake, they will, they will. Sir, I am very thankful to the Congress and their ecosystem that they have created a ruckus on the Citizenship Amendment Act. If they do not oppose, they do not make so much noise over it, then perhaps the country would not have known their true self. This country has seen who is for the party and who is for the country. And I want, ‘’Jab Charcha Nikal Padhi Hai To Baat DurTak Jayegi ‘’ when the discussion has started, it will go a long way.
Honourable Speaker, anyone can aspire to become Prime Minister and there is nothing bad in it. But someone had to become Prime Minister, so a line was drawn over Hindustan and the country was divided. After partition, the manner in which atrocities on Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities were unleashed in Pakistan, the persecution and the coercion cannot be imagined. I just want to ask Congress colleagues, have you ever heard the name of Bhupender Kumar Dutt? It is very important for the Congress to know and those who are not here also need to know.
Bhupender Kumar Dutt at one point of time was in the All India Congress Committee, was its member. He spent 23 years in prison during the Independence struggle. He was a great man who was on hunger strike for 78 days inside the jail for justice and this too is a record in his name. After partition, Bhupender Kumar Dutt stayed back in Pakistan. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly there. While the work of the Constitution was going on, the work of the constitution was still in progress, it was just the beginning and I want to repeat what Bhupender Kumar Dutt had said at that time in the same Constituent Assembly. Because it is very important for people, who are casting allegations on us, to understand this.
Bhupender Kumar Dutt said - So for as this side of Pakistan is concerned, the minorities are practically liquidated. Those of us who are here to live represent near a crore of people still left in East Bengal, live under a total sense of frustration. This word was articulated by Bhupendra Kumar Dutt in the Constituent Assembly immediately after the partition. This was the condition, from the very beginning of Independence, of the minority, the minority of the people there. After this, the situation in Pakistan deteriorated so badly that Bhupinder Dutt had to come to India and take refuge and later he also breathed his last in the laps of this Maa Bharati.
Honourable Speaker, then another great freedom fighter stayed back in Pakistan of those days, Jogender Nath Mandal. He represented a very oppressed, exploited and downtrodden society. He was also made the first law minister of Pakistan. 9 October, 1950 - It was two or three years of after Independence and partition. He resigned on 9 October, 1950. I want to quote a paragraph of his resignation, which was written in the resignation letter. He wrote- I must say that the policy of driving out Hindus from Pakistan has succeeded completely in West Pakistan and is nearing completion in East Pakistan.
He further said- Pakistan has not given the Muslim League entire satisfaction and a full sense of security. They now want to get rid of the Hindu intelligentsia so that the political economic and social life of Pakistan may not in anyway influenced by them. This was written by Mandal ji in his resignation. He too eventually had to come to India and he passed away in the laps of Maa Bharati. Even after so many decades, Pakistan's thinking did not change. Even today, minorities are being tortured. Just what happened to Nankana Saheb - the whole country and the world has seen it. And it is not that it happens only to Hindus and Sikhs, and it is the same with other minorities. Christians also have to face similar suffering.
Remarks were made on Gandhiji's statement during discussion in the House. It was said that what the government was saying on the CAA was not Gandhiji's sentiment.
Anyway, parties like Congress had abandoned Gandhiji's teachings decades ago. You have left Gandhiji and therefore neither I nor the country expect anything from you.But on the basis of which the Congress is surviving, I want to talk about him today.
The Nehru-Liaquat agreement was signed in 1950. This agreement was reached by over the protection of minorities living in India and Pakistan. The basis of the agreement was that there will not be discriminatory treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan. There was an agreement between Nehru and Liaquat regarding the religious minorities of whom we are talking, who are in Pakistan. Now the Congress will have to answer, such a great secular like Nehru, such a great thinker like Nehru, such a big visionary and everything for you. Why did he not use the word 'all citizens' instead of the minority that time? If he was so great, so generous, then why did he not, there must be some reason. But how long will you deny this truth?
Brothers and sisters, Honorable Speaker and Honorable Members, this is a matter of that time, I am talking about that time. How did Pakistan's minority in the Nehru agreement agree on this, there must be some reason. What we are saying today, the same thing was told by Nehru at that time.
Honorable Speaker, Why would Nehru use minority word, you will not speak because you have a problem. But Nehru himself has gave an answer to it. A year before the Nehru-Liaquat agreement was signed, Nehru wrote a letter to the then Chief Minister of Assam, Shriman Gopinathji, and I want to quote what he wrote in the letter to Gopinath ji.
Nehruji wrote - You will have to differentiate between Hindu refugees and Muslim immigrants. And the country will have to take responsibility of these refugees. The letter is written to the then Chief Minister of Assam by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru ji. Within a few months after the Nehru-Liaquat pact, Nehru ji said on the floor of this Parliament on 5 November, 1950, Nehruji said- There is no doubt that the affected people who have come to settle in India, they are entitled to citizenship and if the law is not favorable for this then law should be changed.
Call Attention motion took place in the Lok Sabha in 1963, in this very House and from this very place in 1963. At that time, Prime Minister Nehru was also holding portfolio of foreign minister. When the Minister of State for External Affairs, Shriman Dinesh ji was speaking in reply to the motion, Prime Minister Nehru interrupted him - and I quote what he had said - the authority there in East Pakistan is exerting tremendous pressure on Hindus, this is Panditji's statement. In view of the situation in Pakistan, not only Gandhi ji, this was also sentiment of Nehru ji, There are so many document, letters, standing committee reports, all have been advocating a similar legislation.
Based on the facts in this House, I want to ask the Congress specifically and their ecosystem will also understand my questions. All these things which I told, was Pandit Nehru communal? I just want to know. Did Pandit Nehru discriminate between Hindu-Muslim? Did Pandit Nehru want to make a Hindu nation?
Honorable Speaker, this is the problem with the Congress, it makes up things, makes false promises and keeps procrastinating promises for decades. Today when our government is taking decisions based on the sentiments of our nation makers, the Congress is having problems. And I want to reiterate, through this House, to the 130 crore citizens of this country, with utmost responsibility and understanding of honour of the Constitution, I want to say this, I want to say with complete obeisance to the Constitution, I want to tell 130 crore citizens - CAA, this act is not going to have any impact on any citizen of Hindustan. Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, it is not going to impact anyone. This is not going to harm India's minority. Yet those who have been rejected by the people of the country, they are playing these games to do vote-bank politics.
And I just want to ask. I want to ask those from the Congress in particular, who have been furthering their political agenda in the name of minority, does the Congress remember the Delhi riots of 84, was it not a minority? You put tyres around the neck of our Sikh brothers and burnt them alive. Not only this, you have not done anything to send the accused in anti-Sikh riots to jail. Not only this, those who are accused today, those who have been accused of inciting anti-Sikh riots, you make them Chief Ministers today. Our widowed mothers had to wait for three decades for justice for the conviction of accused of the anti-Sikh riots. Weren't they a minority? Will there be two yardsticks for the minority? Will these be your ways?
Honourable Speaker, the Congress Party which ruled the country for so many years, today it is the misfortune of the country that the party which had to serve as a responsible opposition as per expectations of the country, has gone on the wrong path today. This path is going to create trouble to you as well, as also it is also going to put the country in trouble. And I am giving this warning because all of us should be concerned about the country, should be concerned about the bright future of our country.
You think of it, if the Assembly of Rajasthan takes any decision, frames a system and no one is ready to obey in Rajasthan, take out processions, indulge in violence, arson, it is your government there - what will be the situation? Madhya Pradesh - You are sitting there. The Assembly of Madhya Pradesh takes a decision and the people go out in streets against it, can the country be run like this?
You have done so much wrong, that is why you have to sit there. It is the result of your own exploits that the public has made you sit there.And so everyone has the right to speak in the country in a democratic way. But by spreading lies and rumours, we will not be able to do any good to country by misleading people.
And that's why I especially urge the people talking about the Constitution today,
Come - respect the Constitution.
Come - let's sit together and run the country,
Let us take the country forward. Let us do so by making a resolve for a 5 trillion dollar economy.
Come - pledge to provide water 15 crore families of the country who are not getting pure drinking water.
Come - let us work together for pucca home to every poor in the country so that they get a pucca home.
Come - be the farmers of the country, be fishermen, livestock keepers, let us work together to successfully increase their income.
Let us give broadband connectivity to every panchayat.
Come - Let us march forward with a pledge to make Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat.
Honourable Speaker, let us sit together for bright future of India, I thank Honourable President with only this Sentiment, I pause my speech. I also express my special gratitude to you.